1. After an ugly three quarters of football in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday the
Hokies were able to pull it out in the fourth quarter and retain the commonwealth
cup for a dominating 12th year. However, come Monday on campus that was not the
storyline with the most buzz around the football program.
Justin Fuente was formerly announced as the predecessor to legendary Frank
Beamer on Sunday the 29th of November. Some of his most telling and necessary
resume bullet points include leading a Memphis squad to a ranking of twelfth in
total offense and seventh in the country in points per game in the 2015 season. With
the Hokies much farther down the list in both of those categories, the fit seems to be
just right.
Perhaps slightly secondary to a solid hire at the head coaching position, Bud Foster
was announced to be retaining his job as well under Fuente. This announcement
was one that got students and fans of the Hokies even more excited for the arrival of
our new offensive mastermind. Foster has been with the Hokies for all 29 seasons
Beamer spent here, and he isn’t going anywhere. I overheard a student today calling
the duo of Foster and Fuente “Smash” and “Flash.” The smash has never really been
an issue in Blacksburg with the famous lunch pail defense as the signature key to
success for many years. The buzz around campus now though is all about points and
putting up some better numbers on the other side of the ball.
“That being said, we want to change the tempo. That doesn’t mean we want to go at
such a speed that we hang the defensive side of the ball out to dry, so to speak, by
making them play the whole game, but we do want to control the tempo. We have
been a run-the-ball-first team. We have made big plays through play-action pass and
moving the pocket and getting the ball on the perimeter, and that’s what we’ll
continue to try to do” Fuente said concerning his offensive philosophy at his
introductory press conference. With a solidified top running back in freshman
Travon McMillan and weapons in the passing game like shifty wide out Isaiah Ford
and bulky tight end Bucky Hodges, Fuente has some pieces to put to use in his new
offense here in Blacksburg.
The Hokies will make it to their 23rd straight bowl game but posting a record of 6-6
in the middle of the pack in the ACC is hardly what Hokie fans had hoped for this
season. Fuente comes in lauded as one of the best offensive minds and young
coaching candidates in the nation, but he also comes into a culture that is ready to
win 10 games again and see the bright lights of a BCS game. Coach Fuente said the
Virginia Tech job is the one he wanted, and Hokie fans and students seem to think
this marriage will provide nothing but positivity.
Coach Beamer was given an honorable sendoff in his last home game in Blacksburg
in an overtime defeat to UNC, and fans are thankful for what he created, but the
focus now is on the future and what Fuente will stir up here in Blacksburg.